Biomancy
Biomancy is a magical study of manipulating organic matter, which can involve healing and modification or combinations of organisms to form new ones. There are limitations to how biology can be modified, both physiological and moral. One of the most sacred vows of the biomancy practice is the Flesh Taboo, which vows to never 'curse Human flesh', in modern terms, to absolutely avoid tampering with Human DNA. Despite this a handful of wizards have broken this taboo in the past, creating species that flourished alongside normal species on Earth. History Elves are the first known practitioners of biomancy. The warping of trees and other plants to both build and defend their homes was a standard practice throughout history, becoming widespread at the height of the Elven Empire at the turn of the 2nd century B.C.E. This tradition persists into the modern day in Annwn, though has been lost in other isolated elven kingdoms with little access to Red Matter. Historical records of insect, bird and vermin control also exist. Elves historically did not use biomancy to directly heal wounds but instead did so by proxy through the use of affected herbaceous plants with medicinal effects. In the 13th century, Griffons were created as a hybrid combining traits of golden eagles with lions and other large cats. Early Griffons did not reproduce and were hapazardly put together compared to later modern Griffons and other magical creatures. Biomancy in this time was not as refined due to limited knowledge of biology. In the 14th century, Lycanthropy was created by an unknown wizard giving birth to an infectious disease that causes humans to turn into Werewolves during a full moon. In the 15th century, Vlad the Impaler tampered with the biological processes of his prisoners, own subjects and his enemies for his own amusement, and created a crude new species: the the only known instance of what would come to be known as vampires. They were not able to reproduce either and died out when he thankfully did not share his method to create them with anyone else. The Renaissance saw a revolution in the field of biology, and thus, biomancy. With transfiguration being incorporated into the field along with a better understanding of organism function, biomancers became more skilled and were able to create more more naturalistic creatures, including ones that could reproduce. In the 16th century, an unnamed mage banished to Australia for previous violations of the biomancy taboos created a species capable of reproducing, with animalistic features upon humanoid bodies. These beings were sapient, and rapidly developed a form of civilization, building a society, expanding in population and sometimes converting other beings to become like them. In the 18th century, Charles II of Spain, the last of the Hapsburg line, was severely deformed, mentally retarded and in poor health due to his family line's excessive inbreeding. Biomancy was used in an attempt to cure him out of sheer desperation, but the wizard that attempted to heal him ended up killing him. Decades later, scientist and wizard Dr. Victor Frankenstein succeeded in using biomancy to reanimate dead human tissue. This could be considered a form of necromancy, and once again broke the taboo of not tampering with human flesh. Modern Day Biomancers often work in medical fields to treat injuries and assist in surgeries. Magical knowledge and expertise in tissues has been instrumental in ensuring the success of otherwise risky or outright impossible medical procedures. Biomancy can be performed by a wizard to heal others if medical supplies are not available, or to accelerate the healing processes. Humans can be converted into Anthro-feralis with the use of biomancy. Some extremist groups such as CLAW forcibly capture Humans and force them to undergo the magical procedure to transform their bodies into Anthro-feralis types. This practice is outlawed in an overwhelming majority of countries and is universally loathed in the wizarding world. Characteristics Biomancy is the art of using magic to manipulate animals and plants. Cellar manipulation is a key aspect of this field, and can be beneficial in aiding regeneration, removing certain forms of cancer, parasites, reconstructing damaged tissue or placing someone into a state of deep hibernation. In certain cases it can extend one's lifespan to a limited extent. These are generally accepted exceptions to the Flesh Taboo, as they are for the purpose of healing. Biomancy can create new species and hybrids of existing species, often species that are barely related to each other or are completely different in appearance and function. Most of the time the dissimilarity of their genes and biology means that such attempts between merging unlike species end in failure, but there exist exceptions. In the modern age, with advanced scientific knowledge of how genetics, biology, reproduction and other important factors function, biomancers are finding increased success in their pursuits. Biomancy is sometimes, in the modern age, fused with technology and technomancy, for the interests of advancing bio-tech research. This can range from assisting with the development to advanced prosthetic and replacement artificial organs, to industrial uses such as bacteria to clean up radioactive waste and chemical spills, to military uses such as neural links enabling thought-controlled weaponry and equipment and biological weapons, though the latter case is considered heavily to be Dark magic and is practiced very few and limited countries. Like all magic, biomancy cannot be performed without the use of a channeling device or beyond the Red Line. In magically-assisted surgery, small, specially-designed medical wands are used. Dark magic Weaponization By manipulating biology to extremes, biomancy can be weaponized. For combat, a wizard can create layers of keratin and calloused skin over their body, sharpen their teeth and nails, artificially stimulate adrenaline levels, give themselves gills, among other enhancements. Biomancy can be used to maim or seriously injure enemies: stomach acid can be made stronger or formed in other areas of the body to cause great internal damage. Nerves can be destroyed to paralyze muscles, the heart can be forced into cardiac arrest, and tumors, cancerous or not, can be made to grow inside an enemy's body. Both are considered violations of the Flesh Taboo and are denounced by the larger wizarding world as Dark magic. This is because it fits the definition of tampering with human flesh / DNA, and such extreme modifications are extremely dangerous and considered horrifyingly unethical not to mention evil. Even the 'beneficial' modifications to one's own bodies take a large amount of magical energy and can easily go wrong, and have deleterious effects on a wizard's health in the long term, also fitting the definitions of Dark magic. Flesh Taboo Any biomancy that violates the oath not to tamper with human flesh for a purpose other than healing is considered a violation of the Flesh Taboo. Wizards are extremely unforgiving of these violations and will prosecute those guilty, with punishments ranging from banishment to execution. This is similar to the Hippocratic Oath, a non-magical vow of medicine to do no harm. Fields of Study Magiflora Magiflora is the study of magical planets and fungi, and creation of them. This includes naturally-occurring plants with magical properties and plants that have been created artificially. This field is the least dangerous field of study as it involves only plant matter, not organisms with intelligence or dangerous appendages and abilities, making it an ideal field of study for beginning biomancers to practice in before graduating to more complex subjects. Magifauna Magifauna is the study of magical creatures and creating or modifying life artificially. There are few naturally-occurring animal species such as dragons, meaning that in practice this field is much more experimental and risk taking. Applications range from practical biomancy which includes medicine to improve health and fertility, substances to encourage bodily modification or development, drugs and other uses, to experimental biomancy that seeks to study and experiment with organisms by using magic to alter their very appearance, function and behavior. * Naturally occurring species ** Dragon ** Kraken ** Phoenix * Species created via biomancy ** ''Anthro-feralis'' ** Some Cyborgs'' (Flesh Taboo violation)'' ** Chimera ** Griffon ** Leviathan ** Manticore (Flesh Taboo violation) ** Vampire (Flesh Taboo violation) ** Werewolf (Flesh Taboo Violation) Humanoid biomancy Humanoid mutation a forbidden realm of biomancy as it breaks the Flesh Taboo, the sacred vow by the wizarding world to not tamper with humanoid flesh. Despite this there are wizards who have tried to varying levels of success. Even if there is success, the act is highly frowned upon in most magical communities, which see magicking the human body as a grievous, symbolic offense. Using biomancy on a humanoid to heal illness and injury, however, is a very clear exception to this. The punishment for tampering with humanoid flesh often varies, from being as mild as being forbidden to practice biomancy again, to having the offending limbs severed, to more extreme punishments such banishment and execution. Category:Magic